And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. // Luke 1:28-29
I agonized over the invite. I can’t add anything else to the schedule! I need to prioritize prayer and family, said the realist in me. But what if she feels rejected? Or she rejects me? The people-pleasing part of me wavered. Finally, I sent my regrets and received a surprising reply: “I admire your ability to say no to adding something else!”
It was a powerful reminder that a small but impactful no can free us for a far greater yes.
Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
The term “Immaculate Conception” means that from the moment of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s conception, God in His grace preserved her from the stain of Original Sin, and gave her the grace to say no to sin in every circumstance thereafter.
One definition of the word ‘immaculate' is “free from sin,” while another is “free from flaws or mistakes.”
Often, we aim for this second definition rather than the first in response to our culture’s distorted ideal of perfectionism. The pressure to be flawless or never make a mistake leads us to constantly say no to our own needs or God’s will and yes to others’ flawed opinions.
Mary, our immaculate role model, shows us another way.
Her perfect sinlessness did not make her mistake-free in the eyes of the world, nor did it relieve her discomforts—far from it. She was “greatly troubled” at the Annunciation, and searched “with great anxiety” when she lost Jesus in the temple several years later (Luke 2:48).
Immaculate Mary experienced very real turmoil and confusion—yet in all these imperfect circumstances, she did not sin.
She said no to worldly perfectionism that claimed it could help her relieve discomfort, escape criticism, or avoid rejection. She said yes to the humility of sinlessness, even when it looked like foolishness to the world, in order to do God’s will and glorify Him.
As a result, Mary now shares God’s glory forevermore—and she invites us into the same.
Worldly imperfection does not negate your goodness. Today, say no to sin in order to say yes to God’s greater goodness, asking our Immaculate Mother’s intercession!
Megan Hjelmstad (“Helm-stead”) is a wife, enthusiastic hockey mom, and Army Veteran living in Denver, CO. After serving fifteen years in the United States Army, Megan now serves the Church as an author, speaker, and women's mentor in her “spare” time. Megan loves to share God’s hope in suffering and is the author of Offer it Up: Discovering the Power and Purpose of Redemptive Suffering. She’s a long-time team member of Blessed is She and a writer and speaker for several other ministries. Megan adores books, sleep, sunshine, and Colorado’s great outdoors almost as much as she adores Jesus in the Eucharist. Learn more at MeganHjelmstad.com.
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